UNRIC Library Newsletter - July 2011

UN in General

E-News Department of Political
Affairs, July 2011http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e903e1565d1c8bad829ebd555&id=3bb9fff4c8&e=178332aec0
The UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) has issued the first edition of
its e-newsletter, highlighting the work of the Department and UN political
missions to prevent and resolve conflict around the world. The first edition
puts the spotlight on the UN's political response to the upheaval in the Middle
East and North Africa.

Provisional agenda of the
sixty-sixth regular session of the General Assembly (A/66/150)English, French & Spanish:http://undocs.org/A/66/150
The
document lists a total of 166 items to be discussed at the session will be
officially opened on 13 September 2011.

Peace and Security

Open Days on Women and Peace and
Securityhttp://www.unwomen.org/2011/07/open-days-on-women-peace-and-security/
UN
Women, in partnership with the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA), the UN
Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), is commencing a number of “Open Days” on women and peace and
security worldwide from June through September 2011. The Open Days provide a
platform for local women leaders to speak directly with senior UN leaders at
the country level to share their experiences, concerns and priorities as a
contribution to national and regional efforts to resolve conflicts and build
security.

Security Council Concept Paper:
Security Council open debate on “Children and armed conflict” - 12 July 2011English, French & Spanish:http://undocs.org/S/2011/409
The
Security Council President for the month of July, Germany, has prepared a concept
paper concerning “Children and armed conflict”. The paper will serve to guide
the Security Council open debase on 12 July 2011.

United Nations Interim Security
Force for Abyei (UNIFSA)http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unisfa/
The
Security Council, by its resolution 1990 of 27 June 2011, responded to the
urgent situation in Sudan’s
Abyei region by establishing the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei
(UNISFA).

United Nations Mission
in the Republic
of South Sudan (UNMISS)http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmiss/
On
9 July 2011 South Sudan became the newest
country in the world. The birth of the Republic of South Sudan
is the culmination of a six-year peace process. The mandate of UNMIS ended on
July 9th following the completion of the interim period set up by the
Government of Sudan and SPLM during the signing of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA) on 9 January 2005. The Security Council has established a new
mission, the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan
(UNMISS).

The United Nations Rule of Law
Indicators: Implementation Guide and Project Tools (DPKO / OHCHR)http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/publications/un_rule_of_law_indicators.pdf
The
Guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to implement the instrument,
with United Nations support, in a conflict or post-conflict setting. It is
meant for first-time users of the instrument who have a general knowledge of
the United Nations system, previous experience working in such situations, a
good knowledge of criminal justice institutions and a familiarity with social
sciences research methods.

Economic & Social Development

Food Crises and Gender Inequality
(DESA Working Paper No. 107)http://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2011/wp107_2011.pdf
This
paper examines the current food crises, the projected effect of climate change,
the vulnerabilities created by regional concentrations of food production,
imports and exports, and the significant role of women as food producers,
consumers and family food managers. Bridging productivity differentials between
male and female farmers, by helping women overcome production constraints, would
significantly increase agricultural output. This becomes an imperative, given
the feminization of agriculture. Institutionally, a group approach to farming
would help women and other small holders enhance their access to land and
inputs, benefit from economies of scale, and increase their bargaining power
economically and socially.

Handbook for National Action Plans
on Violence Against Women (UN Women)http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/handbook-for-nap-on-vaw.pdf
The Handbook presents a model framework for national action plans on violence
against women, which sets out detailed recommendations, accompanied by
explanatory commentaries and good practice examples.

Progress of the World’s Women: In
Pursuit of Justice (UN Women)
English & Spanish:http://progress.unwomen.org/
UN
Women has released its first flagship report "Progress of the World’s
Women: In Pursuit of Justice," recognizing progress worldwide, but calling
on governments to take action to end the injustices that keep women poorer and
less powerful than men. The report states that the past century has seen a
“transformation” in women’s legal rights, with countries in every region
expanding the scope of women’s legal entitlements. “Nevertheless for most of
the world’s women, the laws that exist on paper do not translate to equality
and justice,” it adds. It also points
out that while 139 countries and territories now guarantee gender equality in
their constitutions, women continue to experience injustice, violence and
inequality in their home and working lives.

UN Women Annual Report 2010-2011http://www.unwomen.org/resources/annual-report/
The Report documents UN Women’s work to foster women’s empowerment and gender
equality around the world. It highlights some of the organization’s initiatives
during the year and provides summary financial statements, a list of new
programmes and projects, and contact information.

World Drug Report 2011 (UNODC)Report in English, Summary in
English, French & Spanish: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR-2011.html
This year's edition starts with an overview of the illicit drug situation
worldwide and regionally, followed by more comprehensive discussions and
statistical trends for the key transnational drug markets. 210 million people,
4.8 per cent of the population aged 15-64, took illicit substances at least
once in the previous year. Drug markets stable but consumption of synthetic and
prescription drugs rises.

World Economic and Social Survey
2011: The Great Green Technological Transformation
Report in English, Overview in
English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wess/index.shtml
Humanity is close to
breaching the sustainability of Earth, and needs a technological revolution
greater – and faster – than the industrial revolution to avoid “a major planetary
catastrophe,” according to this new UN report. Major investments will be needed worldwide in
the developing and scaling up of clean energy technologies, sustainable farming
and forestry techniques, climate-proofing of infrastructure, and in technologies
reducing non-biological degradable waste production.

Human Rights

Report on Mass Rapes in Congo, North KivuEnglish:http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/ZR/UNJHROReportMassRapesBushani_en.pdfFrench: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/ZR/BCNUDHRapportViolsMassifsBushani_fr.pdf
The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office
released a new report on mass rapes and other human rights violations committed
in the Villages of Bushani and Kalambhiro in Massisi
Territory, North
Kivu, on 31 December 2010 and 1 January 2011. The report confirm that men in uniform identified
by various sources as soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic
of Congo (FARDC) submitted 47 women, including one minor, to sexual violence,
including rape, abducted two civilians, and inflicted cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment on 12 others civilians. They also looted at least 100
houses and three buildings and set on fire or destroyed at least four houses.
It also contains recommendations to the authorities of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC), MONUSCO and humanitarian partners, in particular with
regard to the protection of civilians in these villages, the type of assistance
needed by the victims and the measures to be taken to ensure that the alleged
perpetrators of these violations be brought to justice.

Humanitarian Affairs

Seven
years after the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the
Barrier: The Impact of the Barrier in the Jerusalem area (OCHA)http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Full%20Report_44.pdf
This report – published by the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - focuses on the impact of the
Barrier in the East Jerusalem area, in particular on West Bank communities and
households now isolated on the Jerusalem
side of the Barrier. It also highlighted the impact of the Barrier on
Palestinian farmers, whose access to their land in so-called ‘Seam Zone’ behind
the Barrier is severely limited.

Social Media

The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.